MotorMouths

Just about everyone will appreciate the XJ V-6’s reasonable fuel economy. Its $47,850 base price should be plenty tempting to a whole new group of mid-size luxury car buyers. Most important, the cars we sampled still felt, drove, and smelled like Jaguars.

We forget all about the the flimsy seats, and the cheap controls, when we floor the 427 and experience that amazing sensation of a big pushrod V-8 roaring toward 7000 rpm. It starts at $76,900, which is something of a bargain considering that it basically matches the performance of a $149,000 Porsche 911 Turbo cabriolet.

The 2013 Buick Verano Turbo is a premium compact car with a dirty little secret: it’s fast. And the power. It’s prodigious.

The 4Matic version of the C350 remains the rewarding, involving sport coupe we’ve come to know and love.

Functionality is what makes the new Odyssey worthy of its name and distinguishes it from the pack. It may wear more stylish threads but rest assured, it’s the thoroughly engineered competence that makes this Odyssey what it always has been: the best minivan, period.

In terms of pure looks, the CTS coupe should rocket to the head of the luxury pack. The stunning coupe finally gives the CTS the halo it needs to draw attention to what has long been a very worthwhile car and is now a very competitive lineup.

Most people who buy crossovers simply want a high-riding, versatile vehicle that’s easy to drive, comfortable, and relatively efficient. The Santa Fe Sport checks all those boxes, and its fuel economy whips that of many compact competitors.

The top Audi A8 is every bit as pleasant to drive as one might expect of a twelve-cylinder, six-figure German luxury sedan. As cliché as it may sound, however, the A8L is a car best enjoyed from the back seat.

The Prius C is a good hybrid — a damn good hybrid, actually. And it’s an interesting — and we think very worthwhile — experiment in the subcompact segment. The Prius C makes the hard-to-measure but very real appeal of virtuousness more affordable.

The truth is the GL, for all its utility and improved fuel economy, remains difficult to justify in utilitarian, economical terms. Rather, it’s a vehicle you buy first and foremost because it’s really, really nice.

The Rio is now one of the more refined, better-looking offerings in a segment brimming with good cars.

The Spark pleasantly fills a bargain-basement niche that’s been all but vacated as compacts and subcompacts have climbed higher in price and refinement. At least it’s not boring or dreary.